The mobility world is massively changing. New policies, new modes of transport and new socio-spatial practices of mobilities are on the rise. Jeremy Rifkin saw this clearly in 2000. In his bestseller ‘The Age of Access’ he says the future of modern societies will no longer be solely organized through individual property and ownership. Rathr, new collaborative forms of consumption and sharing would play a key role in the organization of everyday life and business.

In fact, new cultures of sharing and participation are emerging: people share cars, bikes, houses, expertise and mastery in science and craftsmen’s work etc. Once radical visions have become part of the lingering but steady transformation of norms, procedures, routines and capitalist principles. A burgeoning political awareness can be witnessed in cities, regions, in mobilities research, planning, politics, business and civil society. Even global car producers become part of the new sharing culture and seriously consider themselves as selling mobility instead of cars within two decades.

Where does tis social change come from? Why is this an appealing idea? Can we expect a new mobility regime, growing markets for sharing mobilities? Or is this just a new fashion, greenwashing? Does it provide the access that Rifkin was foreseeing, with more equality, even sustainable mobilities or is it just a new fashion – greeenwashing?

For the Cosmobilities Network, the biggest European mobility research network, it is about time for a critical scientific investigation. Therefore, the 12th Cosmobilities Conference invites contributions to the following questions:

What are the social, ecological, cultural and aesthetic dimensions that generate this resonance of ‘sharing mobilities’?

Are we observing the birth of a culture of multi-mobility, of changing (auto)motive emotions and of sustainable mobilities?

What are the socio-political implications of a new mobility culture?

Is the hype on sharing mobilities just an expression of the pursuit of big business, the next phase of capitalist development?

Are new mobilities arising as a ‘common good’? Or as a social and cultural resource in a cosmopolitan world full of social, ecological, economic and cultural risks?

What does ‘sharing mobilities’ mean against the background of global migration and touristic flows and what is the impact on networked urban mobilities?

Cosmobilities encourages scholars and practitioners to present and discuss theoretical, conceptual, empirical and applied work and perspectives on the past, present and future of sharing mobilities.

Cosmobilities conferences aim for creating inspiring, creative and thought-provoking environments. The majority of sessions will foster exchange and discussion. Therefore, we especially encourage participants to submit abstracts for the 7/7 and the panel sessions.

7/7 sessions

This means seven presenters, seven slides, and seven minutes for each presentation. The sessions will have two-hour slots, leaving at least one hour for common discussion. Presenters shall focus on their main argument in order to avoid overly-complex presentations. They shall initiate discussion and they are not expected to be comprehensive.

The organizing committee, based on submissions, will select only the best submissions.

Panel sessions

Panel sessions have a maximum of five presenters. Each gives a five minutes focused input to the panel topic. Panel sessions will also be organized in two-hour slots. Abstracts should include the names of all panelists.

Paper sessions

Each presenter has 20 minutes; each session includes four presenters maximum. The organizing committee, based on submissions, will plan these sessions.

Please, submit your abstract of no more than 300 words no later than May 1st 2016 to Cosmobilities2016@cosmobilities.net.